Star Rail: Starting with a Lyre, Living off Busking

When the Shadow of the Guardian spotted Venti among the crowd, a colossal clock radiating intense imaginary energy appeared behind her. Even Seele, constantly shifting between quantum and physical states, felt herself being locked in place.

Her eyes narrowed, and the ghostly glow of her scythe flared like hellfire.

Seele had encountered enemies like this before. Once they entered this state, the only way to stop them was to deliver enough attacks to disrupt their accumulation of imaginary energy.

If they failed to break the process before the countdown on the clock hit zero, the area would be engulfed in a devastating shower of crystalline imaginary spikes.

To avoid becoming a puppet corrupted by Fragmentum energy, she had to act fast.

"Take this!"

Amidst the frost-covered battlefield, Seele darted forward like a butterfly caught in a storm, her rapid strikes aimed at the Shadow of the Guardian.

Each blow caused the massive clock behind the shadow to tremble, but its hands continued to tick ominously forward, the energy accumulating faster than Seele could disrupt it.

Though there was no prior coordination, the Trailblazers moved forward as one, instinctively supporting Seele.

From her position in the back, March 7 clasped her hands together, forming a camera-like frame with her fingers. She playfully called out, "Biu~!"

The moment her voice rang out, a shimmering shield—her so-called "Pretty Girl's Blessing"—wrapped around Seele.

The shield not only blocked the invasive imaginary energy but also began slowly healing Seele's wounds.

Dan Heng, ever calm and precise, stepped in during Seele's brief pause to catch her breath.

Lowering his stance, he gripped Cloud-Piercer firmly in his right hand. The air before him rippled as the spear pierced through it, creating a shockwave that seemed to tear through the fabric of the battlefield.

His attack struck the Shadow of the Guardian square in the abdomen, forcing a guttural roar from her.

But even as Cloud-Piercer drove through her form, it failed to halt her charge completely.

In retaliation, the shadow grabbed the shaft of Dan Heng's spear with one hand. Lightning coiled around her massive warhammer in the other as she swung it down with terrifying force.

Dan Heng's eyes widened. Though he managed to wrench his spear free, he could only raise it to block the incoming blow.

The impact sent him flying across the battlefield, his body slamming into the ground.

The lightning radiating from the shadow's hammer forced Seele to retreat, her body visibly trembling from the strain of the prolonged battle.

Though March 7's shield provided some relief, Seele had already pushed herself to the limit. She had ventured deep into enemy territory alone, clearing countless Fragmentum monsters along the way before engaging in this grueling duel.

If not for her indomitable will—and her refusal to show weakness in front of the others—she might have stepped back when Venti first appeared.

But now, seeing an opportunity to recover, she let herself fall back to regroup.

With Dan Heng sent flying and Seele forced to retreat, the Shadow of the Guardian reached her peak.

"...Outsiders… Serval... Landau... You… betrayed... DIE!!!"

The sound of a bell reverberated across the battlefield as the massive clock struck zero.

The remaining clock hands fused into her warhammer, while golden crystalline spikes formed from pure imaginary energy shot toward her targets.

"Not good! Everyone, get behind me!"

Serval hurried forward, preparing to deploy a protective barrier, but she wasn't the only one stepping up.

Welt Yang calmly advanced, his cane glowing faintly with violet-red hues.

A cluster of miniature black holes shimmered into existence, aligning like constellations between the Shadow's spikes and the Trailblazers.

The spikes vanished on contact with the black holes, disintegrating into harmless bursts of energy. Though small explosions rippled through the battlefield, they were contained, and a wave of smoke filled the air.

When the smoke cleared, Welt stood unmoving, his coat billowing in the wind. He adjusted his glasses, their reflective lenses concealing his gaze. The Shadow of the Guardian glared at him with unrestrained fury.

"...Interesting," Welt murmured, a faint frown crossing his usually stoic expression. "Though we've never met, you carry an aura of ignorance and guilt. It's like looking at a sinner oblivious to their own transgressions."

Raising his cane, he locked eyes with the shadow, the scene echoing a battle from the past.

"Whatever harm you intend to cause, I will stop you here."

"...Insolent… fool… BEGONE!"

The shadow roared, her energy surging wildly like an uncontrollable storm.

The dramatic standoff was almost cartoonishly perfect, prompting Venti to start clapping enthusiastically.

"Wow! What a show! The dialogue, the poses—both sides are absolutely nailing it!"

"Hmph! Of course!" March 7 beamed, puffing out her chest. "I choreographed every part of Welt's performance. It's designed to be peak coolness!"

As she snapped photos of Welt's heroic pose and Dan Heng crawling out of a snowdrift, Dan Heng glared at her in exasperation.

Serval, meanwhile, awkwardly scratched her cheek, trying to shift the topic.

"Uh… Venti, can you actually understand what that Fragmentum monster is saying?"

Pela blinked in surprise. "Wait, they have a language? All I hear is static!"

March 7 gasped. "Don't tell me you learned Fragmentum-speak?!"

Welt glanced at Venti with curiosity. The Wind God's past dealings with the Stellaron were shrouded in mystery, leaving even Welt intrigued.

Venti, ever the joker, chuckled. "Oh, I wouldn't say there's a language to learn. But interpreting their intent? That's child's play for me."

He added with a playful grin, "She's been repeating our names the whole time, you know."

"Our names?" Serval's brow furrowed. "Wait… does that mean the rumors were true? That shadow is... Cocolia?"

The battlefield fell silent.

Welt's frown deepened as understanding dawned. "So that's why her presence felt so infuriating."

But no one seemed angrier than Serval. Her eyes burned with rage as she fixed her gaze on the Shadow of the Guardian.

"Cocolia... You just don't quit, do you? The Eternal Freeze is gone, yet you still crawl out of some dark corner to haunt us."

"Serval, calm down!" Pela urged. "That's just a Fragmentum echo—it isn't really her!"

But Serval wasn't listening. Her voice rose, filled with years of pent-up anger.

"Do you know how many sleepless nights I've had because of you?! First, you shut down my research, then you ruined our lives, and finally, you had me imprisoned! How much more do you need to take?!"

Even Venti couldn't lighten the mood as Serval reached for her electric guitar, fingers brushing over its strings with a spark of electricity.

"Enough is enough, Cocolia. Let's settle this once and for all!"

---

The final battle began—but truthfully, it was over before it started.

The Shadow of the Guardian, already weakened, stood no chance against the combined might of the Trailblazers, Welt, and Serval.

In a show of unity, the group left the finishing blow to Serval. Her electric guitar shattered as it delivered the final strike, its fragments scattering like the memories of a bygone era.

As the shadow dissolved, it let out one last spiteful curse:

"...Serval... Why... do you... always… get in my way..."

But Venti chose not to translate this time.

With the battle won, Pela checked her floating surveillance drones. All readings indicated the area was stabilizing, the Fragmentum's influence waning.

The crisis was officially over.

"Thank you," Pela said sincerely. "With your help, the threat has been eliminated."

March 7 grinned, puffing up with pride. "Pfft, that was easy! We could've handled ten more of those!"

Venti chimed in with a mischievous smile. "Well then, how about a celebration at Rockfire Lizard's Grill? Drinks on me!"

"Not so fast." Seele appeared behind him, grabbing his cheek with an iron grip.

"You've got some nerve offering to celebrate when you spent the whole fight slacking off."

"Wah! That's so unfair—I was cheering for you all!"

Unmoved, Seele tightened her grip, while the group's laughter echoed across the now-peaceful battlefield.

For the first time in years, Serval felt her burdens lift.

The past was behind her, and for the first time, she could look to the future with hope.

As the battlefield quieted and the group regrouped, the celebratory mood began to settle in, despite the lingering exhaustion from the battle.

Serval, still grinning from ear to ear, wrapped an arm around Venti, who was rubbing his reddened cheek after Seele's iron grip.

"Venti's got a point! A proper celebration is in order. Let's see who can win the crowd with their music—me, the true rock star, or this so-called 'bard' of freedom!"

"Eh? Can't we skip straight to the drinks? Besides, comparing music styles is like comparing apples to oranges! It's bound to be a tie," Venti protested, his expression uneasy.

But Serval wasn't having it. "Come on, don't chicken out now. What's the point of being a bard if you won't stand up and prove your talent?!"

Her boisterous enthusiasm made it clear she wouldn't take no for an answer, and she gave Venti a hearty shake to seal the deal.

Meanwhile, Seele crossed her arms, not ready to let Venti off the hook just yet. With a slight huff, she marched back and grabbed him by the other arm.

"You're not going anywhere until I've taught you a lesson for goofing off the entire fight."

March 7, seeing the tug-of-war unfolding, giggled and joined in, clinging to Venti's sleeve just for the fun of it.

"Oh, let me have a turn! You've had him long enough, Seele. Besides, I've got plenty of ideas for funny poses we can use to immortalize this moment!"

As Venti flailed helplessly between the three women, Welt, standing a short distance away, let out a rare chuckle. Even Dan Heng, usually impassive, allowed the faintest smile to cross his lips.

While the chaos ensued, Pela lingered in the background, observing the scene with her usual calm. Yet, beneath her composed exterior, a slight pang of jealousy crept into her thoughts.

She sighed inwardly.

Always so popular. Will there ever be a time when he's not surrounded by so many people? Maybe I should be grateful just to stay on the sidelines, close enough to watch.

But even as the thought crossed her mind, she felt a breeze brush past her.

Venti had somehow slipped away from the others and appeared at her side, his smile both playful and sincere.

"Pela! Save me! You're my bandmate, right? Surely you can talk some sense into them!"

Pela narrowed her eyes but couldn't suppress the faint smile tugging at her lips.

"Bandmate? Don't even try it. I'm not about to bail you out of trouble you caused yourself."

"But—but we're best friends!" Venti exclaimed dramatically, clutching his chest as if deeply wounded.

Pela raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "If I were your best friend, I'd be the first person you'd think of for help—not the last."

Her sharp retort left Venti momentarily speechless, and the others burst into laughter at his dumbfounded expression.

---

The lighthearted atmosphere carried over to the evening, where, true to Venti's suggestion, the group gathered at Rockfire Lizard's Grill for a celebration.

As the drinks flowed and laughter filled the room, it seemed the weight of the day's battle was finally lifting.

Venti, as expected, was the first to overindulge, quickly becoming the life of the party with his off-key singing and exaggerated storytelling.

But when the bill arrived, his carefree demeanor evaporated.

"What?! I thought this was complimentary!" he wailed, clutching his head.

Seele crossed her arms, clearly enjoying his plight. "Who told you that? You're paying for your own drinks, bard."

"Wait, wait, wait—why just me?!"

"Because you said drinks were on you," Welt reminded him with a wry smile.

The entire room erupted in laughter as Venti dramatically slumped in defeat.

---

Oh, hey there, Trave-

Move aside, Venti—this bard's had enough of the spotlight! It's my turn now.

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